The Sun. — London, England, 1810-12-12 00:00:00

GREATILLE'S SPEECH, 4E REGENCY QUESTION, IN 1788. •' • - (Concluded front Saturday.l • 7 s for me to consider the several restric have been this day proposed. My opi , • ieseect to tht!se follows so mtich-ftoal the ' which I have alre.idy stated, that I should eenecessary to enter into any more particular ,it re,soning concerning them, if I were not ties! , .es on every part of this important subject, to 8 '•• so , sentiments di-tinetly and • unequivocally. , 1 agree with the resolution kivhich restrains the p s'er of creating Peers, mid I do it on two sepa , tate grounds. First, because I am'clear that during the sh rt period for 'which - we are now providing, , no meonvenience whatever can result from the sus pension of this branch of the prerogative of the •evie: that there is, for this reason, no necessity for our delegating this power to any other hands, and that. we have, therefore, according id the prin ciple on which I have t wore enlarged, no right to conferit on the regent. But ,there:is, in the Second place, a more important consideration which applies to this subject. • , ()fall:4lw powers of the, Crown,' this is -the most liable teibe abused under a -delegated and ternperary Government ; -and it • is also that from the abuse of which the most -injurious consequences would arise to the permanent ,interest of the Sovereign. The povjer to create at: chseretion a lasting influence on' the deliberations of one of the bran Ches of the Le gislature; is a prerogative of so high a nature, that nothing but a strong necessity would justify that principle of the .Constitution, which has placed it . in the hands of the Sovereign - himself. As exer cised by ,hint, it is, however, subject to this re straint, ,that the mischiefS a:tend:sot ote its abuse, operate against the peace aid security of that Go• vernreent, of which the Kieg is not'ouly in actual possession, but which be is ao eat4in for the ,whole period of his lite, and which, he can have no interest weaken or embarraiise • The case of a- regent. is °widely .different.. .we suppose him enhappily -to be misled by.t he councils • oi ten desire,u, ofaVading themselvesbf a short :ite terval of authority, ,in order to establish for them selves an infiaence the state, paramount.to that ot heir Sovereign-, what other mode: couid. be naturally resorted to for this pureose, as the abuse of this particular .branch of . the prerogative ? cohld they hope more effectually to secure the cons tinuance of their own, powyr e than by retaining the means, .it not of preventing the King's TetUr. to the exercise of his authority, at least of enettarrass ieg acid thvkateing in-every instance io which he tt?iglet fed it his duty to counteract their views of peteohal :inierest or ambition. It may, indeed, he said, .that same restraint which I have before meoticared, as operating ou the. exercise ,of this Fewer by the Sovereign himself, doe, in some de gree eat ) , w it, e eemin the hen,is of a regent whose authority vvas pet - mallet - it, or even cetteiu in its duia tithe But let it be considered, that in the present ease, exaetlye in proportion as the probability of-the ng:s recovery iricreased, the force oi this restraint e eeee gredually be weakened, and the temptation the abuse o ould grow mole pewerful. Toe per eeess who aevised time regent would then leel it less that the con e -quences of- any misconduct thens l would. be injurious to the Goveraweat is their o'Nu bands ; aril they perhaps, irutf gine, ilia: they had an interest in the miseeiets which it kApoe.l oft the subsequent admirestration-of Sohtile, reign. f i rive .donsideration, : therefore, of the short! ess Of the hoe: val for which we now pro vide, s4erns.et once to skew, that. LW otcessity.can exist finegiviog. :this poweE; and to etford a great addition-I weight .to the apprehension of datager.re, suiting frotai it.. In the present tuomeut, I can en -4•ll:iii no doubt that-the griming it would exceed ' tee fituks et' our authority, and that even if that mere not the case, it would be the dtuy of Parlia ment to, withdraw .it on grounds of expediency. The limitation which would pre‘cat the regent fiont anticipating the King's authority by reversions, apd Ilona Jettering tt by the giant of offices for life, is a part e ef the same principle which has just been stated, an though in its consequences certainly not of equal importance, is nevertheless, in my opinion; hip!y necessary to be adopted. • • • ;I:he propriety of the restraint . on the disposal of the real and personal property-of the Kite is ad mitted on all hands, and •is founded on the same principle which would be adopted - in the case of any, othre individual in similar circumstances. The only remaining question is that which relates to the filth resolution, opened • to us in the begin ning. of this debate.' That the care of his Majesty's person should be entrusted to the experienced vir tues, to the anxious and long-tried aflection of the Queen, is, in my opinion, self-evident on eery ground of public duty and of private semitnent, in a case where even private sentiment should not be dis regarded. As a point intimately and inseparably couneded with - the discharge of ties interesting trust, the care and sup - intenL!a:,ce of hii M.ijesty's - houst.- bold must be invested in the same handy. The oniy doubt, indeed, which could arise upon this subject would be, whether, under the prt sent circumstances, the cisting establishment ought to be maintained ; but if maintained, it can be put under. no other di redb:: than ilvit to which the care of his Majesty's pens is entrusted. For, that any ot::er authority sliouiJ be suffered to interfere in points so intitnately con ietted.with this dutv, and that thedninestic un- easiness • inseparable, fro . n; such a system should be allow,ed to add to the weight of the severest is, I ant sure, an idea too shucking to be en- tent - hued by any of those perdoos whom I addless this place. - The propositinn pf reducing the King's establish rn?.nt in the present moment would, however, as it appears to me, be searcely_less repugnant to the feel ings of a gencrous People. The smallest degree of relleetioo upon this subject; must ruder it impossi biL. that we_ should reconcile our minds to such a sf:T. It - wilt crria'.nly be felt to be inconsistent s,vitti 'lie sentiments which we all enteria it towaids our Sovcieign, a en if we cooll be assured that he must always remain unconscious of the disregard - which he . would thus have expel ienca from the Representatives of the British nation. But if we early our eyes farther,and look to that. happy period to which our wishes and our IMpes ate turned, what a picture must then present its.ll! Let us, if we can, imagine, .what twist be.h;s feelings in such a moment as that, when he is told that his Podia mont has availed itself, vVitlr-eagerness and avidity, • even of the shottest interval, to new-model the' others attendant on his person, and by a miserable mconomy, to degrade their Sovereign from those circumstances of splendour which belong, to the rank in which he was born, and to the station which • he still occupies. ,„ - But; Sir, that iS'not all ; thfingh I trust this is Infinitely more than sufficient, to rouse the feelings 'of every English heart. We profess in our delibera tions' here, and we have published to the country in our resolutions, that we mean to establish a sys- ' tem which is to continue only during the King's-in disposition. If we are sincere in this declaration, we' shalt be careful to -keep alive arnong the reople at large, the impression of that allegiance, which is still due to him, and IQ him ,alone: Can e be lie ve that it is consistent with.this purpose, to with draw from him every mark of dignity,' every exter nal circumstance by which lies is distinguished as an objet of respect, and to reduce him in this instance to ihe same level with,every common subject ? We know, and it will, not be disputed, that the splendour which attends our 'Monarchs in the ex- . etcise of their authority is not:created Bran empty : I pageant ; is not given to ,gratify an idle vanity, which they would be ashamed to feel; 'nut is esia- r Wished for solid reasons of sound policy. It serves to mark and to define that tank in which the con ; stitution of this country has,designed them to stand. it serves to create ,resped among the people a; large, and to impress continually on their minds those seri.' titnents of habitual reverence which are. justly due to the higher attributes of Royalty. I mean , nut certainly to compare th &s e .ex,ernal circumstances of habitUal reverence which are ) justly due to the with - the real and Substavtial dignity Of a Ki n g . ...„ With the power of administering justice in mercy, or : with the power of 'conferring:happmess on mil lions of his tellow-creatuits. But •if there.exisf's a iiination tinier which our Monarch is tor a time unhappily debarred 1 . 10 IT) a personal exercise of thes e best prerogatives o f hi s s t at i o n is it not rather an additional,reason for continuing to hint the outward forms and ensigns of §overeigniy 1 I trust and be liee that the sentiments which his virtues haVe in • "spired, are so deeply rooted in the heart's of all his subjects, that no length of time that could elapse, no misfortune that . could overwhelm him, no disregard tinder which he could be suffered .to fall, would weaken their attachment, diminish their affection, or repress'the ardour of their lobatty.. But surely, we shall not feel ourselves .at liberty, from these considerations, to neglecit the natural and obvious _Means of preserving in the country a just remenr brapce of his rights. We must be sensible that. every wise Motive which before induced us ro main tain the splendour and dignity Of his exalted , rank, has. - fiom the circumsta n c es o f .his situation acquired an additional and stronger claim to cur at tintion. Even•if our present hopes should be dis appointed, and it by the comma:nce of this calairity we shorild hereafter find ourselves compelled to resort to .a new arraogetneut in this respect; yet let it never be forgotten, neither at this, nor at any • other period of his life, that the duty who!' we are at this day to discharge, is not that of eleCting a King to reign over us in his Aead, but that of -crew ing a delegated trust to administer the Government during hiS indispositinu; in his name, and on his behalf. • Sir, r nave now trespassed upon the attention of the Howe much 'Unger than' I have dune at any • tot wer time, or than I had in'ended upon this occa sion. The niture the subjeti, its extent ; its consequences, and the deep impression which it has . . made upon my mind, must be suy applo,,,y. The question is one-o 4 the most intele - stilig'th'ii has at any lime be: ) agitated within these walk It is probably the most important that will ever occur doriou the cioase of wy fife. And - Nure I am th.it there will be no izoment ot - it, at which it will llot be -a satisfadion to me to rctleet, that I have discharged this high and sacred duty, faithfully and conscienti ously, without, resped of Rersous, or consideration of interest, and looking only 10 that allegiance which I owe to my Sovereign, and to that concern which due to the peace, prosperity, and happiness of my Country. THE COR7'ES. " The right of can sling the actions of the Govonment, is an iMprescriptible right, which no nation can resign, without ceasing to be one: " But let me recal - your attention to the merrier able Decree of the 2-1-th of September. What did we _then do ?. We declared the Decrees of / Bay- Onne unlawlnl and null ! and for w hat reason ? Be cause the at of renunciation was enteted into with out the consent of the nation.' To whom has that. ' nation now devolved its cause ? To ourselves. We are its representatives, and.by our original consti tution could take few steps without the will of our constituents. But when the people placed po‘l er in our hands, did they deprive themselves of the itn-, portant right of inspecting and canvassing our ac tions ? Why'did we, on the 24th Sepietnber, de cree the responsibility of the Executive Govern ment ? Why did we assure-to ourselves the power of reviewing its actions ? Because we were plac ing power in the hands of Men who - might easily abuse it, if - there were no . bridle to check them, and there is no bridle but the. Cortes. But are we infallible ? Are we not liable ro err i Can the people, on our fist assembling, have such conft deuce in us as to requ;re.no precautions ?, Have not the people the same right over us that we have over the Executive Power Suppose the Legislative and. the _Executive were to unite tere, stwedespotism, have the people no defence ? -No resource ? ' " Let ,us not here, be perplexed by metaphy sics, but let us be guided by fa;:ts,-- teast.tn, and ex- , pertence. " The people have one resource, - the Press.. But if that be debarred them, what signifies it, w. he qier they be enslaved by one, by five, by twenty, oi by an huhdred. a41. , ` Wh saf4y for their right hav e th e peop l e er ourselves ? \ The people _Of Spain, have ever detested civil wars. But there is a Poe fie mode of . ..obtaining redress, namely, the bold .expression of Public 'opinion. This is the people'; 'safe guard, and we are not yet sufficiently awake to its vast -power of forcing Government's to be just.— Yet by this, and,by this 'atone, can time nation be saved. But if you deprive the People of the liberty of speaking and writing, how is this to be de clared ? It 1,. were to tell my const , tue'nts it", Es tremadani, of a previous censorship of the Press, what would they say when they found, that to ex press their opinions 'threy must .send to the Cortes for a license ? •• - " It is, therefore, one of the rights of mankind to have the free liberty of the press ; a s)stein both wise in theory, and confirmed by pra&ice and ex-' perience. England, .by enjoying it, has successfully resisted despotism.- Whilst the Liberty of the Press exists, Parliaments cannot be suppresse4 : , on the contrary, they gather - strength to curb the Crown. The high situation in which Engla n d now i s p l ace d , arises from the Press; for-a free Press, in a free Country, gives that powerful arm of public opi nion without which all others are vain. l'he second point I have to call to your notice is its, necessity. Grounding, as I have done, the liberty of the subjeet on a tree Press, '1 next declare, that in no other way can Spain be saved. I repeat, that if the' limitations with which we propose. to. curb- the Executive Power are necessary, much More so are those restraints on'ourselves, which afford our Con uents the ine.ms of watching over our condud. I have spoken ot .experience. It St4in had been able to express her public opinion; would all those tolaan;us scenes ot totrigne have been permitted in the Escurial ? Would Godoy have long' re tained a 'power which has proved so fatal to his country ? _!‘, If the Ptince of Wales in England were placed a prisoner in own' palace,'under flip, will 'of bad Ministers, would the English nation. be silent,? Yet we have been silent ; and this sufficiently proves, that Rwrty, without a tree Press, althought it may be 11w good man's dream, will still bc: nothing but a dre:4ln, I wish to argue this question' dispassionately,. and with calm reasoning. The difference between myself - and my opponents is, that they conceive the evils of a-free Press to be as a million, the good as twenty. I, _on the cow rary, think the evils are - as twenty, and the good as a million. They have warmly digressed on all its dangers., If I were now to run over all the e4ils incident to civil society, the curses of ambition - , the horrors of war, the woes of faMine, and the devastation of pestilence, I could frighten you all. But from •the• dreadful picture I might draw, would you forget the good of society, and conclude to destroy it ? Here we have no Republic of Plato. Here we stand, fal lible men, with _all the mixtrire of - good and evil Wonging to our condition, and it is from a balance alone of advantage and inconvenience that we can torm a ills t decision on any question. A great in quisitor of Spain was desirous of translating' the bible into Spanish. What torrents of abuse were poured on hitn for the attempt! The same language was applied to his efforts as to ours. What was his answer "I do riot deny its inconveniencies, but is it usetur or not ou the baldnce ?" The same is our _ . Case, Had Gat inquisitor succeeded,-the good would havebeen lies own- 7 —die evil, that DI our natures. " To conclude. I believe tije nation to possess a sacred and inviolable right to the freedom. of the press, as the only means by they can assert their just controut over the conduct ot their sentatives. This principle is general but at this Motnent they doubly require it in the absence of their beloved King. When he returns, he will have the power, in attending to the proceedings of the legislature, to assert his awn prerogatives. Un til then, the - people have not only their own rights, but those of the monarchy to maintain. It they do•not . maintain them, who can say -that this coun try will'not follow the steps of Revolutionary Fiance, and the Cortes become a National Assembly. - Let those who dread Republicanism from alit Liberty of the Press, lout: at the reverse of the picture and tremble. I again repeat it-- 7 the only safeguard for the Rights of toe People, and theprerogative ol the King, lies •in the tribunal of public opinion. Let the Cortes be rreserved pare. 11 they became cot' rupt, the people will become so too. We rmist , therefore, strengthen ourseiveS From the only source of purity—the public opinion. ;‘ I have heard touch against the Prt - !SS, objections app ear to me to have proceeded inor from personal inter es t s than hon.) a sense thd' public Kel-t4e. lam but as ki ng f or "j usl i ce ,--- Snotald the good I.viiichl angoFreedomn the - Freedom of tile Press, -be exaggerate d , and .-the mischiefs foretold from* it be tru e , stid let us grant it must justice, e vert th e powers o f dark nesm ust bow. h u t the " Much has been said on. the sco-e of religion. I can add little to . what Senor Oliver:s expressed yesterday, but I must recal one eircum,tance IL/ , ) our minds ;, that the sacred head of our Reli* pion, the, Pope, is now undef peiseention, that Buonaparte kis even commenced a civil suit agala't him, au,d - that from - the clerader.l - state' of freed_ . ilt in Frince, man.dares to lint his voice orio ino%d his pen in defence of ihat venerable persop. Thcl are the (runs of an arbitrary censorship on the, PIO' Bat - there are saute per•sons think - thit - would be published hq , aile to religion. II protillq mily.often, happ e n, - t.h,t; in parties, con vers-atibril will thin on religion, but : it one man decries-r -bla4pheineS it, twenty 2,ralons defenders spt ing fort - in its•-suppo6' ; so %%ould 'it be with the press. I must, therefore, declare that the Cortes will he ing against the nation, if, they do. n , .t. decree Liberty of the Press. We shall be bevrayels of 1 1)6 ' people's hopes ;' the re-estliblisliers of the despciisin we have abolished ; the destroyers of the last charec of Spain. Thecensorsliip of the, Press is they la+` hold of the tyranny un4rwhich we so, long hi" groaned. It 'is your iTote . VVll!Cii must row it 01 - L, . or fix it for ever," • • -- • • - Early on Thursday morning the Clargni LiPO' in B. was broke open, and robbed ol ral - articles of plate' and other vatiabre'prorperty--- - Several drawers were broken open; it waz aScer tainN.::dithat the robb e r s tnust have, been;,a n hour . i° the houSe, from the wax lights that 'had been On the-afternoon of the same day a - silver Cruet stand and bottles Was offered to pled'se•bv- a wonitta at ,a pawnbroker's. in Loudon W, li , for !Mg. sayi"g they k% ere her cy-s n property ; that she : bad, bought them at a - shop :in - Cheapside Tor 31. The pow"' • broker, knowing,them to be worth til - . ' s6sp6CrAl 5 1 ' 1.1 ; had not come, honestly by them, sent to. inquire in Mason's-adrY, Coieuiln-treet, w•here : the wo - man said she and learnt she had rrntoi ed 110 0 :thence; he therefore detained her, and yesterday she underwent an examin.Aion at Bo'w:Sfreet, before Mr. NA:IES, when Mr. Jaquires, the landlor d of the Clarendon Hotel, attended,'and'identif4 ! I ' . " • cruet =stand to be , his property. The pi koner I ,ot being able to git e a sat istaetoryacconnt how.Oe'be came-possessed of it, she4was - committed for farther exammatiOn. A lady of ,the natite . of Brewster, iri,,Wcica street, was so seriously burnt, hy.lier clothes fire on Monday night, that she is not eßpeJed to reciiver . . Mrs. B. had dressed herself lor'one , th e Theatres, and she - was in company with her so" when the accident happened by thecindle: assistance was affOrcied her, but .her clotheS vo: re nearly burnt off her back-. WEDNESDAY, OCT. In this day's deoate, Senor Turtero, after a speech from Senor Creus, who declared himself hostile to the Freedom of the Press, spoke to nearly the fol lowing erred : Mr. President—l differ from the-last Speaker on the line he has taken, but in rising to. give my opinion, [ wish to recal the Assembly to the funda mental principles on which we have to argue this question, and from which I p:rceive we have stray ed. I conceive this question to be divided into two ,parts; the first its . justice, the second iis necessity. Justice is the vital principle 01 civil . society, and the child of Justice is the Liberty of the Press. I wish to prove the right which mankind is pus= sessed of to obtain that Liberty, and if I succeed, the detention of it will be injustice, and all injustice is wrong. " Lei us apply this principle to the present mo ment, and let us look to England for an example. The grand cause of that nation's independence, is the power which ("very man possesses of canvassing the actions of . public ,men, of ii;petting the con duet of the representatives of the people in Parlia ment, and of making known an opinion upon it. It is impossible to describe the edurinous importance of this, weapon, and of ,the poWer which emanates from the Press . EnglJnd knowS its she pro- . teas the Press, and in return the Press has protected England. I.UNIJUN : Printed !AtIi:HARD HARRIS, of N 0.4, Martlett-eourt;kow-strect; and Pet){abed by WILLIAM ARMIGER SCRIPPS, SouthMOlton. the SUN^O.IFICR ) No. ; le, Strand, where ildvertisements, Orders for the PaPer, Leters for the Editor its, (post- paid), mus CERTIFICATP:S-'. Jan. 1.• Dennis Mihoney, of Tottenham court. road, Itial ler. Daniel f reernau, Williarn Sykes, and 'Wm F reown, of • -Church-strear,Bernioi,dscy, leather- WO.ham Duncan and Alexander Duncan, of Liverpuo drapers., . . Richard Pickman, of Dockhead, Surrey, chinarnan. _ _ PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. - - - - I ohn. Roberts and William Watcham, of Swallow-stree. of l then. Elizabeth Want, John Clode, William Clode, a::ti Thomas Harrison Want, of New Windsor, innhoiders. Ralph Stevenson, Ralph Lei g h , and Samuel Leigh, of tau, Sta tfordshire, irontounders: lames A rthingtou Wilson and Thomas Yeardiey,of liarnsle), York, linen manu:acturers. John Heath and John Halethorpe Heath, of Notri.l,;hatn, Ito sters. • john Beck and William Scoltock, of Shrewsbury, grocers. Thomas Dennison and Isaac; Gaby, eattheimare-ile,,lers. I ohn Ranson and Ch r i stop h er P ratt, of Bishop Wearni"ut h 1 Durham, miners.. William Wicks, %Vahan! Cook, Henry Knight, and Ricnarti Wicks, of Worthing, brewers. Edward Slim, Aim Wentworth, and Mary Ann Slim, Isling ton, haberdashers. Edward Horrocks and john Haworth, Great Bulton, sizers. Charles and George Simpson, bacon-merchants. .yll'll , NEWS. GRAVESEND, DECEMBER 10. Arrived--the Lady Carrtngtun, Atkins, from Calcutta. 811 t U. cf On Thursday last, i n Q ueen-street, May-fair, the Lady Daniel Robertson, Esq. of a Son. mAkßitsiv On Wednesday last, at Melbury Sampford, Charles .noun, Esq. M.P. tor Penryn, to Lady Charlotte Strang ways, youngest daughter of rite late Earl of I lchester. On Sunday last, irt tlib New Chur,:li, Strand, Mr.Th °ll:l Harding Kelly, of the Str an d, to• Miss 'Gripper, of 14°1 ford. • D/Bn. On the 3d inst. at Alton. Hants, of a rapid declino, thew Biackett Wise, Esq. of the Priory, Warwick. earl' wOn Thursday night, at P .ac kli ngton, the sea t o f e •••• • of A ylesford, !Wm Francis Rigauct. Esq. Royal Acadeinll clan, a Member of the Academy ut•Bologna ami of the Roy - a! Academy of Stockh,lm, an.; Painter to Gustav"' V. .King, of Sweden, On Sunday night Last, 4ohn Edwards, Esq. o f Dattnlo o t ll° place, Blackheath, aged .5o years. On Monklay, in the 27th year of his age, Wil:iarn jun. Esq. or Mark. lane. • • Lately, Mr. I .1 - leath, of Swindon, Wilts. . On the 2d of November, a t 11.hr:ix, Nava ScOtia, CeorgA Wentworth Moody, of the Royal Navy, second son of Charles Nevinson, ofSomerscbstreet, in the 16th year or age. In returning to his ship, the Atalante; the boat was pverset, and this young Offiter was drowned.: Bank Stock, PR/Lb oh .3 itiCA6 D • i YESTERAY. 2 44 i 2 44 India Stock, Navy 5 per Cent. shut India 13orKts, 21S. 2cs. pr. Irish s per Cent. Excheq. Bilis, 4S, Si. pr. 4 per gent. 152 i ,i i Oin'niurn, 51 dis• pet C. enc. iced. 66 65i (6} I fliperial 3 per Cent. , pet Cent. Cons. shut Col , ls. for Opening, 6ii sr' 'liank L: Ann. 17 9.l6ths i ', _. t reer; Glrotvrtoe tqu P. bc addressed. I •